Bordetella bronchiseptica in a pediatric Cystic Fibrosis center.

Abstract Background Bordetella bronchiseptica is a common pathogenic or colonizing organism of domestic mammals. In dogs, it causes an infectious tracheobronchitis known as Kennel Cough . Human infections are unusual and almost exclusively described in immunocompromised patients who have had contact with a known animal reservoir. It is rarely reported in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), possibly hampered by low recovery from culture and organism misidentification. We describe the incidence and characteristics of B . bronchiseptica in our CF population. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of our center's CF patient population. Patients were included if they had B . bronchiseptica isolated on one or more occasion. Results Seven children with CF isolated B . bronchiseptica on 23 occasions, frequently associated with the symptoms of a pulmonary exacerbation. Four patients required hospitalization. Conclusion These results suggest that B . bronchiseptica may be more common than previously reported and may play a potential pathogenic role in CF.